Many of us are familiar with white storks, some even saw these huge birds, admired their immaculate nests built on rooftops or poles. But few people know that in fact there is far from one species of these birds. The most rare and interesting in terms of study are black storks. Their habitat is quite wide, but the number of birds themselves does not please conservationists. Their numbers have been consistently low for many years. Storks nest almost throughout Eurasia, in some regions separate settlements have formed, and in South Africa there is a sedentary population of this species. At the end of August, the birds leave their places and fly to the southeastern part of China, Africa.
Black storks are slightly smaller in size than their white relatives, but the wingspan usually reaches 2 m. Weight is about 3 kg, legs, beak and skin around the eyes are red, plumage color is black with green and purple tints, only white remainsBottom part. It is not so easy to see a bird, because it is not only rare, but also secretive. Prefers to nest near water bodies, in old forests, foothills, near human settlements.
Black storks create a couple once and for all life. They return from warmer climes at the end of March and immediately set about building a nest. There were cases when chicks were bred in one place for 14 years. This species of birds does not form colonies, but prefers to settle alone, so one pair occupies a large territory. The female lays up to 7 eggs in the nest. Usually among them there are also unfertilized ones. The couple incubate the eggs in turn for a month.
Black stork chicks have a yellow beak and white or gray down. In the early days, they are absolutely helpless and cannot even eat on their own. They rise to their feet in a month, or even in a month and a half. The nestlings can leave the nest at the age of a little more than two months. At the end of summer, gathering with the whole family, storks fly away to warmer climes, although if there is food, they can stay until the first frost. Birds reach sexual maturity at the age of 3 years.
Black storks feed on frogs, fish, small snakes, lizards, mollusks, large insects. They are able to fly away from the nest for long distances (up to 10 km) to hunt in the swamp, damp meadow, shallow water reservoirs. The presence of offspring imposes additional responsibilities on the birds, the female and male take turns going for food for the chicks, feeding them 5 times a day. Food firstburps, and then is already offered to the kids. There is a known case when a stork brought about 50 frogs weighing more than 0.5 kg to the nest.
The number of these beautiful birds is decreasing every year, although the black stork has no natural enemies. Photos of birds are admirable and make you wonder what needs to be done so that these beautiful creatures do not disappear from the face of the earth. Deforestation, reduction of the food supply negatively affects the number of these birds. This species is listed in the Red Books of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and agreements have been concluded with India, Japan, North Korea and Korea on the protection of wintering birds.
